Display structure



May 9, 1961 D. B. MILLER DISPLAY STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.28, 1958 oRw 8 ML N W m M n A M 3 W Cl May 9, 1961 D. B. MILLER DISPLAYSTRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1958 INVENTOR. DANIEL B.MILLER ATTORNEYS United States Patent DISPLAY STRUCTURE Filed Jan. as,1958, Ser- No. 711,602 Claims. c1. zit-1.5

This invention relates to a structure for effectively displayingindividual small articles. It is an object of the invention to provide adisplay structure which can be made at low cost, can be stored orshipped in knockeddown condition in a relatively small space, which islight in weight, which can quickly and easily be assembled, and which isnot only eye-catching but can be made more so by causing relativemovement between different sets of units or parts. For a more completeunderstanding of the invention reference may be had to the followingdescription thereof, and to the drawings, of which:

Figure l is a somewhat schematic perspective view of structure embodyingthe invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 2-2of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one display unit; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of a blank from which a display unit can bemade.

A representative embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 1.This shows a series of vertical rods 10, 12, 14 and 16 and a parallelseries of vertical rods 18, 20, 22 and 24. The rods in each series areuniformly spaced apart and the rods in the front series are directly infront of corresponding rods in the rear series. To hold the rods intheir vertical position, any suitable means may be employed. As shown,the rods in the front series are held at lower and near the uppenends bysuitable frame members such as boards 30 and 32. In like manner the rodsof the rear series are held in their relative positions by boards 34 and36. The rods support a number of display units 40, one such unit beingillustrated in Figure 3. Each unit is a hollow rectangular frustum madeof a sheet material which is sufficiently rigid to hold its shape. Forthis purpose cardboard, sheet plastics, or sheet metal can be employedas desired. The frustum is open at its larger end and is preferably butnot necessarily closed at its smaller end. Each display unit 40 mayconveniently be made from a single blank such as is illustrated inFigure 4. This blank consists of a series of four trapezoidal areas 42,44, 46 and 48 which are defined in part by crease lines 50 along theirside edges. Extending from the base line of each of the areas 44 and 48is a mirror image thereof, these images being indicated at 54 and 58,respectively. The areas 42 and 46 have mirror images 52 and 56,respectively, which are spaced therefrom by short rectangles defined bycrease lines 62. The longer areas 42 and 46 have triple lines of fold62. When the unit is folded to shape, the mirror images 54 and 58 arefolded over against the areas 44 and 48, respectively. The areas 52 and56 are folded on the three crease lines 62 to proximity with the areas42 and 46, leaving space enough between to accommodate the vertical rodsas indicated in Figures 1 and 2. The doubled walls thus formed are thenfolded on the lines 50 to form a hollow frustum. A flap 64 is providedon the side edge of the end area 48 to overlap a portion of the area 42and to be attached "on the various rods build on one anothersuccessively and 'zontally as indicated in Figure 1.

. Patented May 9, 1961 thereto adhesively or otherwise.- If desired, thesmaller end of the frustum can be closed by a flap 66 which is attachedat one side to the smaller end of one of the areas such as 46, this flaphaving marginal portions 68 which can be tucked into the interior of thefrustum and secured to the other side walls thereof adhesively orotherwise. The triple lines of fold 62 which are between the area 42 andits image 52 and between the area 46 and its image 56, result in tubularelements 70 and 72 which are shown in Figure 3 and which projectslightly beyond the plane of the large open end of the frustum. Thesetubular elements receive and embrace rods either in the front series orthe rear series as indicated in Figure 2. The rods support these displayunits hori- All of the units may extend in the. same direction or, asillustrated, they may extend alternately in opposite directions. Figure1 shows by way of example an array of display units arranged in columnsof three and in horizontal rows of three. In actual practice, there maybe large numbers of units in each row and each column. Numbering theunits in the columns from the bottom upward and in the horizontal rowsfrom left to right, the rods 10 and 12 of the front series support theeven numbered units in the first column, the odd numbered units in thesecond column, the even numbered units in the third column, and so on.The rods in the rear series support the odd numbered units in the firstcolumn, the even numbered units in the second column, the odd numberedunits in the third column, and so on. The tubular elements 70 and 72thus keep the units properly spaced from one another both up and downand from side to side. It is evident that the units which are supportedby the front series of rods and which point toward the rear are entirelyseparate and independent from the series of units which are supported bythe rear rods and point toward the front. Hence to attract the eye oneset of the units may be given small movement relative to the other set.These movements may be back and forth, up and down or circular, theamplitude of such movements being limited by the clearance between thewalls of one set of the units and the other set of the units. For thispurpose a mechanism is schematically shown in Figure 1. This mechanismcomprises a motor which drives a reduction gear unit 82. A crank wheel84 slowly revolved by the reduction gear unit 82 oscillates a connectinglink 86 which is attached to the platform or base 30 so that this basemoves back and forth with respect-to the base 34 which adjoins it. Withthis mechanism, the display units which are supported by the frontseries of rods is moved relatively with respect to the other displayunits which are supported by the rear series of rods.

Striking displays can be had by the judicious use of bright colors onthe outside walls of the individual units and on the ends 66 thereof.The interior of each unit is preferably but not necessarily white so asto set off to the best advantage articles which are to be displayed.Such articles may conveniently be suspended from an aperture in the topwall of each unit. For this purpose a suitable hole or aperture 90 (inFigures 3 and 4) is provided in the inner layer of the top wall of eachunit as it is supported by the vertical rods. This hole can be of anyconvenient size or shape and is preferably adapted to facilitate thesuspension of a small article by a button which can be inserted throughthe hole 90 rods .disposed a a Betinrameafsfiatrarmsrshown in Figure4fafidpa'ckd one upon another.

I It is evident that various modifications and changes maybe made inthe'embodimentof the invention herein shown anddescrib'e'd Withoutdeparting from'thescope larger ends open between successive rods toreceive articles for display, each said unit having a tubular rim alongthe entire length of each of two opposed edges of its larger end toreceive said rods, the units between any two of, saidrods beingvertically over one another and spaced by the tubular rims of thelaterally adjacent units supported by said two rods and the rods nextadjacent thereto, whereby the units are arranged in checker- .boardarray with intervening spaces between adjacent display units. 7 1 V 2. Adisplay structure, comprising two parallel series of. uniformly spacedvertical rods, means holding said rods in position, and a series ofdisplay uni-ts consisting of hollow rectangular pyramidal frustums openat the larger end to receive articles for display andsupported at saidlarger ends by each of said series of rods with their axes horizontal invertical columns and horizontal .rows between said two series of rods,each said series of rods supporting every vother display unit in everyrow and column of the structure, the other series of rods supporting theremainder of the unitsin the structure, said series of display unitsbeing nested each with the other.

asses-a "3; display structure as in claim 2, sameness-151's unit havingtubular elements along two of the sides of its open end embracing tworods in one of said series as the sole support of said unit.

4. A display structure as in claim 3, each said display unit consistingof sheef mat'erial cut and folded so that each side wall of each said-frustum is double, the folds at two of said'side walls 'for'rriing saidtubular elements.

5. A display structure comprising a number-of display units arrah'ged'inhorizontal rows and vertical columns, each unit consisting of ahorizontally disposed hollow rectangular pyramidal frustum, open at thelarger end to receive articles for display and closed at the smallerend, supporting "means for said units comprising two parallel series ofvertical spaced rods, every other unit in each row and column beingattached at their larger end to rods of one said series and supportedthereby, the remainder of the units being similarly attached to andsupported by rods of the other said series, relativelymovable meansseparately supporting each of said series of rods, and means for causingsmall relative movements between the two supporting means and series ofrods and units attached thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,521,796 Spittell Jan. 6, 1925 2,104,314 Wood Jan. 4, 1938 2,279,670Ford Apr. 14, 1942 2,360,218 Gavin Oct. 10, 1944 2,825,466 ShnitzlerMar. 4, 1958 2,828,097 'Faunce Mar. 24, 1958

